Internal-combustion engine



' 1,644,719 oct. 11,1927. C SFLIEDNER l I i INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE y Fileduune s.' 1921 INV/amok. r

mZ/.4, y WBSWMMM ATTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. l1,- 1927.,

Ni'ren cAnLYLE s. FLIEDNER, or NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, AssIGNoiaBY inzsNE.assIeN- MENTS, 'ro'THE PnEsT-o-LITE ooMPANY, INC., on INnIANa-Ponis, INDIANA, A oon- POEATION 0E NEW YORK.

' Application filedv J une 6.,

' mosphere astthe vaporizer or carburetting device. T e cooling air circulated about an air-cooled engine is usually discharged into the surrounding atmosphere. y

i The vpresent invention ,contemplates utilizi'ng a portion of the-cooling air as a component of the combustible mixture and introducing it .into the engine cylinder at a positive pressure, thereby introducing a full charge of hydrocarbon explosive vapor of a higher density and pressure than atmospheric; providing a higher. volumetric etliciency, and' .obviating wire-drawing at the inlet valve. Inasmuch as the ainderived is usually warm, the efficiency of the engine 1s increased because the hydrocarbon fuel employed is more completely volatilized.

The above and other lobjects' and the novel features of this invention will be yapparent from the following description taken with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is-a side vewof an internal combustion engine set embodying this invention, the casing and other parts thereof being lshown in section, l Y

Fig. 2 is an end view of the same, showin parts in section,and

ig. 3 is an end view, on an enlarged scale', showing the casing and other parts in` section and parts broken away.

According to the present invention the fan that causes the flow of cooling air about the engine cylinder and associated parts, de;

livers a part of such warmed air under pressure to a conduit that communicates with the intake passage' into which the fuel is discharged. The said conduit may also' be connected to the'crank case'vent so as to drawk the foul, oily vapors therefrom andv discharge them with the combustible mixture INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

i921. serial No. 475,412.

into the cylinder when the inlet valve opens.

For purposes of illustration, the engine E herein shown as embodying the present invention is of the vertical stationary aircoole'd type, comprising a cylinder C having exterior radial fins C', as usual to promote the cooling thereof. Thev `cylinder may be provided with suitable inlet and exhaustl pipes I and X, controlled by suitablevalves.

V and operating mechanism V. A piston P in the cylinder C is connected to rotate a crank shaft K mounted in the crank case K. A suitable fuel or gasoline supply valve G may discharge intoa mixing pipe. H leading to the inlet pipe I, andsthe crank case K maybe connected to the pipe H by a breather pipe B. The engine may be enclosed by lacasing or hood A, thatts closely to the tins Cto provide a cooling air passage or Jacket along the cylinder.

Suitable means may be provided to effect the circulation of air about the cylinder and to deliver the required warmed air to form vthe' combustible mixture for theengne. For

example, an exhaust fan maybe emplo ed and, in the particular arrangement ilustrated, a flywheel F mounted on the crank shaft K Ihas'fan blades F cast in the periphery thereof, -forming a combined fly-l wheel and fan. A portion of the casing proJects outwardly and forms a cylindrical guard Al for the flywheel, a grating or perforated part N on t e periphery thereof permitting the flywheel-fan tol discharge the airinto the atmosphere. The cooling air from the .surrounding atmosphere may enter the, casing A through another @rating M atthe upper end of the casing the air being 'drawn down over the cylinder and associated parts and discharged through the grating N .1

According to the `present invention, suit, ablenieans-may be provided to .collect a por- 'tion of the warm air discharged by the iiythe fa-nfblades'F, the size of t-he entrance of the scoop S depending upon the amount of air desired to =be.introduced into the cylinV jder with the fuel portion of the grating 4Nfmay be-cut ou Y. .and the -entrance of the p scoop-secured by flanges. S to the flywheel engine.

hood A. From the flywheel hood the conduit in the scoop S may extend substantially tangentially 'in the direction that the air is thrown outwardly by the flywheel-fan. The other end of the scoop S has an elbow that -is connected at S" to the breather' pipe. B

so as to discharge into the-latter. Furthermore, the scoop Sv-mayl be tapered from its entrance toward its outlet, so `as to increase the pressure' of the air therein. Accordingly, the fan acts as a compressor, aswell as an exhauster, and forces a portion of the warm air therefrom through the 4scoop S into the breather' pipe B nearthe upper end of the latter, the air flowinnV from there through the mixing conduit Hbpast the fuel valve Gr into the intake manifold I ofthe j The warml air more readily volatilizes the fuel admitted by the valve G and is( especially advantageous when hydrocarbon fuels of high flash points are used. By'

the' arrangement described an explosive mixture under pressure will be built up in the conduit leading to the engine cylinderwhich will be available for admission intothe cylinder, as soon as the inlet valve opens or is uncovered. This insures a full chargekof` explosive vapor entering the cylinder at the same or higher density and pressure than atmospheric, and 1t is, therefore, unnecessary for the engine to depend for its explosive charge on the suction produced by the movement of the piston downwardly. This makes for a higher' volumetric eiliciency 'and also obviates wire-drawing at the valves. As heated. air is necessary for more completely carburetting present-day hydrocarbon fuels, supercharging in this manner is particularly advantageous because the effect of the loss of weight of the charge by heating is counteracted.- .Iasmuch as the power of the engine is dependent on the number of pounds of hydrocarbon vapor or explosive mixture that may be taken in, exploded and exhausted per minute, higher power will be obtainable from the engine due to the increased density of the gas introduced by a positive pressure. metric efliciency and resulting higher power output, 4a smaller sized engine may be used for the same power previously obtainedjwith a larger sized engine running atthe same speed, with the same valves, timing and proportioned parts. j

The pressure that is built up may be varied by constricting or expanding the outlet ertain portions of the explosive mixture escape from the cylinder past -the .piston Due to the higher voluinto the crank case, diluting the lubricat ing oil. By means of this improved'supercharger, the air in the crank case may bev keptrunder suction pressure, or lower than atmospheric pressure, since the heated air from the scoop S acts as an ejector jet, as it enters the breather pipe behind the outlet of a tube B connected to the vvent in the crank case and, due to its velocity, draws the foul gas and oil vapor from the crank case through `the tube B and'carries it along with the supercharged air into the intake pipe '1. This prevents the accumulation of the residual ends of the hydrocarbons 'that leak past the piston 'rings and keeps them fromA diluting the crank case oil, avoiding injury to the engine through the lowering of the viscosity of the lubricating' oil.

"Furthermore, these high flash point ends of' the fuel, undernordinary 'atmospheric pressure, will not evaporate, but will evaporatev under -the partial vacuum produced bythe ejector arrangement provided and will pass out of the crank case through the breather` tube into the engine cylinder when the inlet valve opens. The --improved engine may be employed gn l for numerous purposes` asV to drivea dyi namo electric machine D that may be operable as av motor to start the engine and as a .generator to tsllpply electric current for anyA v1. The combination with an internal combustion engine co'y prising a erank case and ,a cylinder having a mixture inlet, of a conduit establishingcommunication between said crank case and sa'id mixture inlet,and means whereby air is discharged into said conduitat a point between said crank case and said mixture inlet and at a pressure y above thenormal intake suction pressure in said cylinder, so as to draw-gas from said crank case into ,said 'conduit and discharge such gas into said cylinder.

2. The combination with an internal cmbustionengine having a 4cylinderfan inlet passage therefor and a crank shaft, of an air-cooling jacket about said cylinder, a device driven .from said crank shaft for drawihg a'ir .through said jacket to eoolsaid 'cylinder'and to warm such air, and a conduit leading from said device to said inlet passage whereby air so warmed is delivered to ls'aidjcylin'der as a component ofthe combustible mixture and at ay pressure above the normal intake suction pressure in said cylindei.

3. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a cylinder, an inlet passage therefor and a crank shaft, of a casi'igl forming anair-cooli-ng jacket about the cylinder, a fan on said' crank shaft adapted to draw` air through said-cooling jacket, and means for utilizinga portion of such air as a component'of the.combustible mixture introduced into said cylinder, combustionengine having a cylinder and a mixprising a conduit having-its entrance arranged vopposite thedischarge 'side'of said fan to collect a portion of the warmed air discharged by the latter, said conduit having its outlet connected to said inlet passage whereby warmed air under positive pressure-may be supplied through said passage vto the cylinder.

4. The combination' with an internal comture inlet,'ofa' cooling jacket for said cylinder, a fan adapted to cause a flow of air throughsaid cooling jacket, and a duct having its entrance arranged to receive warmed lair discharged by said fan and having its outlet communicating with said mixtureinlet, said duct having a portion tapering toward said outlet. 5. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a crank shaft, acylinder, an `inle't-passage therefor, of anaircooling jacket for said cylinder, a nombined Viiywheel and fan on said crank shaft, said fan being adapted to-caus'e a flow of air through -said jacket to cool said'engine, and

- a conduit having its entrance'- disposed opposite 'the discharge sideI o f--said-iiywl1eelfan so as to 'collect a prtion of the warm air discharged thereby, the Voutlet end of said conduitcommunicatin'g with said inlet passage. A

6. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a crank case, and'fa cylinder' having a mixture inlet, of a casing providing a cooling-air 'jacket about said cylinder, a breather duct establishing communication between said crank case and said mixture inlet, a fan arranged to draw'` air through said cooling jacket, and a conduit having itsentrance opposite-the discharge side of said fan to collect warmed air therefrom and communicating with said breather duct and the inlet ofl said engineV cylinder. v

7. Thecombination with an internal com bustion engine lcomprising a crankshaft, and a cylinder having anlnlet, of a; cooling jacket surrounding said'cylinder, a combined flywheel and fan on said crank shaft arranged to draw air through said cooling jacket, and means for conducting part of the air discharging from said flywheel-fan to said inlet comprising a conduit. having its' entrance disposed oppositethe periphery` of said flywheel-fan and inclined in the general .direction of rotation of the ywheel-fan and tapering toward the discharge end -thereof, said duct communicating with said inlet.

8. The combinationwith an4 internal combustion engine'having acrank c'ase provided with a vent, 'a cylinder having -amixture inlet, a duct leadingl to said inlet,`a,.duct leading from said vent'and having anroutlet opening into the first-mentioned duct, of a `casing forming a cooling jacket for saidcylinder, a `fan producing 'af-f iifow of air throughsaid jacket, and a conduit-having an inlet. arranged to collect warm air exhausted by said fan, such "cnduit communicating with said inlet and 'discharging rearwardly ofthe outlet of s'aid second duct, whereby gas from the crank case is drawn into the first-mentioned duct bythe stream of Warmv j air from said conduit.

9.'The combination with a stationary aircooled internal combustion engine com-4 p-rising a crank case, a horizontal crank shaft, a vertical c'ylinderfhaving a mixture inlet, and a breather duct between said crank 'case and said-mixture inlet, of a hood or lcasir'igforming an air-cooling jacket for the cylinder, a fan mounted on the crank shaft and arranged to draw air through said cooling jacket and discharge the same peripherally, and an air lcollectingy device or scoop having its entrance disposed opposite 'the periphery of said fan and arranged to collect air discharging under pressure there-l from, said scoop communicating with said mixture -inlet through said breather duct.

. 10. In .an internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylinder havinga mixture passage, fuel supply means dischar ingy into said passage, a crank shaft, a combined said mixture inlet, of'm'eans for moving air through said jacket to cool said cylinder; and means whereby part at least ofthe air thus warmed is delivered to said conduit at a pressure at least equal te the normal suction of such engine, whereby gas and vapor are carriedA from said crank case to said cylinder. j v

12.' The combination with an internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder, a mixtureinlet therefor, a piston working in said cylinder, a crank shaftfconnected to'said 'iston, av crank case, and a conduit connectmg.

crank shaft; vcasing means forming a cooling` jacket for said cylinder and partially enclos? whereby the latter ising said flywheel-fan', A adapted to produce a ow of Aair through said jacket; and a duct having an inlet communicating with said casing means at a point.. oppositejhe periphery of said -fly- 10 wheel-fan to receive warmedair discharged from the latter, said duct discharging warmed air .into said conduit at a pressure greater than the normal suction lof said engine, whereby gas and Vapor from said CARLYLE S. FLIEDNER. 

